the debt ceiling debacle in the summer of 2011 made by paul brown. in 2011, the paul browns in the republican house had enough power to threaten john boehner's speakership and the full faith and credit of the united states. in 2011, every day was marked with a new headline like this one in politico, boehner tries to tame gop on debt ceiling plan. that article was published on july 27, 2011. the very next day, the house member who was then the republican front-runner for president went to the national press club and actually said this. >> it did not include the defunding nor the repeal of obama care and it also increased the debt ceiling. i couldn't go down that road. so i couldn't give john boehner that vote. john boehner now has a second alternative that you have heard of. i will not be casting my vote for that bill. i cannot. i am committed to not raising the debt ceiling. >> yep, she was the front-runner in the polls back when she said that. in 2011, boehner lost 66 members of his party on the bill to raise the debt ceiling but that was then and t